sbc

[garrymol]

hi i have had 3 total brake failures over the last two weeks only option i had to slow down was handbrake!!
i have seen in the forums about the sbc unit needing to be changed,my car is now withj the local MB dealer awaiting repair,my car is a e 270cdi 0n a 2003 plate and they have said it might cost me £1700,anybody know my rights on this as i believe there was a recall on this.
i am not prepared to pay that amount of money for something i havent caused myself 69000 miles on the clock?

any help would be appreciated,before i get bbc watchdog onto this

Regards

Garry

 

[John]

Welcome to forum Garry.

Price sounds about right.

Succinctly, dealers were offering a FOC replacement. Somewhat recently, this changed to a 50% goodwill assuming you have FMBSH.

Unless you have any other warranty on the car, I don't think this will change.

There were a few recalls on it - you can contact MB head office to find out if yours has had any.

I did this with mine, and mine had already had them all except for something to do with the fuel tank.

Whilst getting this resolved, the firmware was upgraded and this did improve things but it has gradually got louder over the last 14 months.

Next time it is in for a service, I will ask my inde his opinion.

You can have the unit reconditioned.

Certainly worth pursuing with Watchdog - although anything beyond 6 years I would imagine is going to be tricky...

 

[garrymol]

Thanks

 

[Vilus]

These people claim to be able to recondition SBC pumps.
Mercedes Sensotronic brake-by-wire SBC ABS Pump System Failures « « Sinspeed - Tune Your Desire Sinspeed – Tune Your Desire

 

[shorty]

I reckon where gonna see lots of 211 heading for breakers yards or being sold a damaged repariables due to expired SBC units . I was luckly enough to get rid of mine before had to be changed

 

[davidjpowell]

I'd be sorely tempted to stir a little if some goodwill was not forthcoming...

If SBC is leading to total brake failure (I don't think we have heard of this before), then that surely is leading towards recall potential, and also watchdog material.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

You should be able to get 50% goodwill without trying too hard.

I looked into refurbing the SBC unit, but by the time you finish faffing, it's better to just get a new one. Iirc it was about £550+ VAT and you can't use your car while they're repairing it, because your brakes won't work.

 

[grumpyoldgit]

An explanatory MB Video of how the system works, but no mention of any secondary safety in case of failure of the system, which should be paramount, shouldn't it?

SBC - sensotronic brake control - how it's works - YouTube

 

[Dryce]

You should be able to get 50% goodwill without trying too hard.

Question is 50% off what?

The supposed 100% cost of replacement seems to be absurdly high to begin with.

And this is the core of the problem.

Either the component is so uneconomically priced that MB were insanely incompotenent to use it in the first place or they're charging way over what they actually cost to put on the car.

 

[John]

Yes, arguably for a pump with fitting, one would assume less than a grand - especially given the refurb is £550 which I imagine is replacing the innards.

It wouldn't surprise me to learn the 'real' price is £800 and they are getting you to pay for it all.

I wont be writing mine off for it mind!

 

[trapperjohn]

No engine shot in this advert but I just wondered if anyone could say from the outside shot if this car would be fitted with SBC.

It would save me a pootle up the road to Garstang. Thinking of having a 2.7 above my 300TD. Just thinking is all.

2003 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS E270 CDI Avantgarde Tip Auto 7 SEAT | eBay

 

[davidjpowell]

Yup, E's have it up to facelift.

 

[John]

I think all W211s from 2002 to 2006 had it (i.e. pre-facelift)...

Interesting find whilst looking just now:

Is Mercedes liable for sensotronic brake control failures on a Mercedes E320? | Ask Honest John | Honest John

 

[trapperjohn]

Thank you David & JohnEBoy.

 

[mersum1es]

No engine shot in this advert but I just wondered if anyone could say from the outside shot if this car would be fitted with SBC.

It would save me a pootle up the road to Garstang. Thinking of having a 2.7 above my 300TD. Just thinking is all.

2003 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS E270 CDI Avantgarde Tip Auto 7 SEAT | eBay

SBC was removed in facelift (about 6/2006). Model Year 2003 is definitely equipped with one.

How to recognize: Outside mirror are a good indication; if attached to the chassis only lower part of the mirror (not whole side edge like in the picture car); the car is facelift.

 

[trapperjohn]

Information thunders in from all corners of the globe. Thank you mersum1es in Finland.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

The very first W211's didn't have SBC, the 52 plate E320 CDi that I owned didn't.

 

[Dieselman]

The very first W211's didn't have SBC, the 52 plate E320 CDi that I owned didn't.

Are you sure?
The reason W211 had SBC was because there wasn't enough room for the servo to be mounted, hence it was only deleted at facelift time.

There were lots of SBC problems in the first year.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Are you sure?
The reason W211 had SBC was because there wasn't enough room for the servo to be mounted, hence it was only deleted at facelift time.

There were lots of SBC problems in the first year.

The car was registered in November 2002 and it definately did not have SBC, it's the first thing I check when test driving a W211.

 

[John]

I wonder if it would be a worthwhile mod to strip it out to avoid problems with it - or is it so heavily ingrained in the car that it would be a nightmare and not cost-effective to do it. Maybe by a mechanic or someone else with the know-how and tools...